Professional Practice Network News

Thank You to Our Chairs Each of the 18 Professional Practice Networks is led by one or two volunteers who commit to being a PPN chair for one or more years. We wanted to acknowledge each of the current chairs (some new and some continuing to serve) and offer them this opportunity to tell you a little about themselves and their vision for 2013 for their PPN. Please read below and hopefully be inspired to participate and join a Professional Practice Network!

PPN CouncilVaughn Rinner, FASLA, Chair Norfolk, VirginiaVaughn Rinner, PLA, FASLA, is in private practice in Norfolk, Virginia. She looks forward to supporting the members of each PPN as they continue to increase communication and education about their areas of specialization. The PPN News and Online Learning webinars are great methods for demonstrating both the breadth and depth of the profession.

Jay Gehler, ASLA, Chair-Elect Mount Horeb, Wisconsin

Hunter Beckham, ASLA, Immediate Past Chair St. Louis

Campus Planning and Design PPN Dean Gregory, ASLA, ChairVancouver, BC, CanadaDean Gregory, BCSLA, ASLA, LEED, is Campus Landscape Architect at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and in Kelowna. In addition to directing implementation of the landscape visions embodied in the University’s $46 million Public Realm Plan for the Vancouver campus, and $7 million Public Realm Plan for the Okanagan campus, he directs and reviews the work of Landscape Architects associated with consultant teams working on new campus buildings. Dean provides leadership, conceptual design development and professional advice for any policy initiatives related to campus landscape architecture. Prior to joining the University of British Columbia in 2009, he worked in private practice in Chicago, Seattle and Vancouver. He has been involved in range of significant urban design, campus, streetscape, plaza and park projects throughout the United States and Canada. Dean received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Urban Studies) from the University of Toronto and, in 1993, a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph.

The Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN had a successful year with seven posts on The Field and three webinars. For next year, we plan to team with other PPNs for conference presentation proposals, produce four webinars, and continue to have a high volume of postings on The Field. LinkedIn has been a forum for lively discussion and active posting. Membership has doubled in our LinkedIn PPN subgroup. Our central focus is to provide valuable content to our members and recruit new officers for our leadership team. If you are interested in getting involved, we have a place for you. Please contact Lisa Horne, Associate ASLA (lh@kevinsloanstudio.com), and Julie Johnson, ASLA (jmjsama@uw.edu).

Design-Build PPN Looking for a new chair—contact us if interested!

Digital Technology PPNDavid Leonard, ASLA, ChairSan DiegoDavid Leonard, ASLA, is a Senior Associate with KTU+A Planning and Landscape Architecture, managing projects and workflow in urban design, visualization services, federal planning, and resource management services. He specializes in habitat planning and design, park master plans, GIS, and 3D modeling and animation.Goals for the Digital Technology PPN in 2014:1) Membership growth2) Continue to build variety into the topics posted on The Field and covered in PPN Online Learning webinars3) Advance more sessions into the annual meeting

Healthcare and Therapeutic Design PPNJack Carman, FASLA, Chair Medford, New Jersey The Healthcare and Therapeutic Design PPN was established in 1998, around the time of the ASLA Centennial Meeting in Boston, so it seems fitting that Jack Carman, FASLA, is once again getting involved in the PPN after another Boston Meeting. Ideas generated during the Healthcare and Therapeutic Design PPN Meeting this past month include the development of a Visual Library of Therapeutic Gardens, expanding the Health Benefits of Nature guide, and organizing a tour for the 2014 Annual Meeting in Denver.

International Practice PPNErik Mustonen, ASLA, ChairEdmonton, AB, CanadaErik S. Mustonen, ASLA, CSLA, is a dual US-Canadian citizen currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, who has worked in six US states, three Canadian provinces plus the Yukon, Malaysia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. He plans to make the International Practice PPN more active, including through collaboration with other PPNs on issues of shared interest.

Landscape/Land Use Planning PPNStan Clauson, ASLA, Chair Aspen, ColoradoAs chair of the Land Use PPN, Stan Clauson, ASLA, is looking forward to an energetic 2014. We will cover stories that relate landscape architecture to issues of planning and land use, and provide a forum for questions and responses from the members. Stan heads a private planning and landscape architecture firm in Aspen, Colorado. He was recently elected president of the Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association for the term beginning in June, and has made a strong commitment to enhancing understanding between the work of ASLA and APA, as well as other organizations such as the Urban Land Institute. To further this goal, all suggestions from PPN members are welcome and encouraged.

Parks and Recreation PPNAlison Jumper, ASLA, Chair Fayetteville, ArkansasAlison Jumper, ASLA, is a licensed Landscape Architect in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She has been practicing in the field of Parks and Recreation for 13 years. Alison currently focuses on park planning and development and the urban forest. Plans for the upcoming year include focusing on providing current information on parks, trails, public process and playground materials to the members. Additionally we will be focusing on member engagement and participation.

Reclamation and Restoration PPNLee Skabelund, ASLA, Chair Manhattan, KSLee R. Skabelund, ASLA, is associate professor in Landscape Architecture at Kansas State University. Lee has taught courses in Landscape Ecology, Land Analysis & Site Planning, Environmental Issues & Ethics, Planting Design, Research Methods, Studios focused on Ecological Planning, Design & Management, and Environmental Impact Assessment. Lee has worked in both public and private practice, leading efforts on the following: Ecological Restoration and Construction Administration at Furstenberg Nature Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Sustainable Development of Forestlands Project and Tom’s Creek Riparian Restoration Project in Southwest Virginia; and, Kansas State University’s stormwater management projects. He looks forward to helping plan PPN-related field and education sessions for ASLA’s upcoming Annual Meetings in Denver, Chicago, and New Orleans.

Residential Landscape Architecture PPNJennifer Horn, ASLA, ChairWashington, D.C. Jennifer Horn, ASLA, is the principal of JHLA/Jennifer Horn Landscape Architecture, a high-end residential design firm in the Washington DC area. Jennifer's plans for the Residential PPN are to focus on aspects of our profession that are specifically related to residential practice, including small business management, building productive client and contractor relationships, and creating opportunities for smaller offices to be more self-sufficient.

Sustainable Design and Development PPN Lisa Cowan, ASLA, Co-Chair Cumberland Center, MaineLisa Cowan, ASLA, is Principal of Studioverde, a collaborative of site professionals with expertise in ecological design, resource economics, horticulture, public art and green infrastructure with offices in Portland, Maine and Austin, Texas. Lisa is in-coming Co-Chair and will continue as blog editor for The Field (posts from SDD members are always welcome!). Lisa will be working on expanding the SDD blog to include posts from professionals outside of ASLA whose research has direct applications to landscape architects relating to the benefits of sustainable design.

Constance (CeCe) Haydock, ASLA, Co-Chair Locust Valley, New York As the manager of a SITES pilot project, CeCe Haydock, ASLA, lectures on SITES and sustainability—to anyone and any group who will listen. In her second year as SDD Co-Chair, she hopes to disseminate Requests for Proposals and grant information for green landscape projects, both regional and national.

Urban Design PPNTaner Özdil, ASLA, Co-ChairArlington, TexasTaner Özdil, ASLA, is an Associate Professor for the Program in Landscape Architecture in the School of Architecture and Associate Director for Research for The Center for Metropolitan Density at The University of Texas at Arlington. Taner’s scholarly and professional work lies in the interdisciplinary areas of design and planning fields. His scholarly and professional activities focus on economic, environmental, and social value creation through urban design, landscape architecture, and physical planning primarily in mixed-use environments, high density urban areas, and metropolitan regions. Taner teaches graduate level courses at UT Arlington on urban design, urban landscape, environmental planning, and design with GIS. Taner received a BLA from Ankara University, an MLA from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a PhD from TAMU.

Marc Yeber, ASLA, Co-Chair West Hollywood, CaliforniaHolding degrees in architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture from USC, Marc Yeber, ASLA, currently serves as Planning Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood. Previously, Marc served on the Historic Preservation Commission. He is also a member of the Cal APA Board of Directors as the Commission & Board Representative. In his current practice, CONT-X Studio, Marc is not only engaged in the planning and designing for the built environment, but also consults for others involved in the entitlement process by identifying key elements of a project and producing presentation materials to effectively communicate the design intent to various stakeholder groups.

As the new co-chairs of the Urban Design PPN, it will be our mission to engage our network members and encourage them to share their knowledge and expertise in urban design through online resources initiated by ASLA such as the ASLA PPN website, LinkedIn, and The Field to list a few. We plan to activate our membership through Online Learning presentations; announcements of local, regional, national, and international activities; and disseminating news and articles relevant to the Urban Design PPN. We will also foster broader discussion concerning Urban Design within the larger ASLA community with contributions to The Field and participation in the larger PPN Council. We are delighted to be in a position to serve and activate our PPN membership and we look forward to hearing your comments, insights, and suggestions to better serve our network.

Matthew Mathes, ASLA, Co-Chair Bellevue, WAFresh water supply needs to be at the center of the landscape architecture practice today. Understanding the fundamentals of soil is a good first step, along with joining the Water Conservation PPN.

Women in Landscape Architecture PPNCara Ruppert, ASLA, Chair San FranciscoAs the daughter of two science teachers, Cara Ruppert, ASLA, grew up with a deep respect and curiosity for the outdoors and natural systems. As a landscape architect, she makes every effort to create spaces in which the natural, cultural and social resources work seamlessly together. Cara’s career focuses on public parks, but she has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of project types to give her a balanced approach and understanding of the entire landscape architecture field.

Kristina Snyder, ASLA, Co-Chair Manhattan, KansasKristina Snyder, ASLA, co-chair, works at Kansas State University. With the members of the WILA PPN, she hopes to build a vibrant community of landscape architects from with a range of experiences to share dynamic responses to a variety of common situations in the profession.